Break with tradition this season with surprising home decor

Sure, you can deck the halls with boughs of holly this holiday season. Or, according to Tiffany Pratt, you can do whatever you darn well please. “My Christmas looks like candy land,” the Toronto-based designer and author of the new book This Can Be Beautiful, says with a laugh. Pratt, who’s known for her colourful style that includes copious amounts of glitter and a hefty dose of DIY, says you don’t have to stick to the traditional green and red when decorating your home for the holidays.

Cover art for the new book This Can Be Beautiful by Tiffany Pratt.

Instead, she recommends sticking close to one “design message” that works with your existing decor so your living space still looks like, well, your living space rather than a holiday aisle at a big-box store. “It’s not like, we’ve created this beautiful blue beach house and now we have to have red-and-green hell everywhere,” Pratt explains. “It’s about making this thing we’ve created translate into the holiday.” According to Pratt, that can often be as simple as incorporating more neutral elements into the seasonal scheme, such as winter white and metallics. “I think, certainly, if I can’t lean on red and green, I’ll lean on metallics,” she explains. “Rose gold, gold, silver or bronze will go with anything. Those are the safe routes.” And she’s not alone in her love of all things metallic for the season ahead. Kelly Deck, director of Kelly Deck Design, says the non-traditional hues are seen in several combinations this season. “Mixed metals seem to be very popular this year, and this is an easy look to achieve by editing your existing collection and adding a few new items,” Deck says. “In particular, rose gold is being used with a soft gold, white and the palest blush.”

Consider an out-of-the box hue such as blush for the holiday season. Champagne Pinecone Wreath, $29.99 at HomeSense.

Holiday home decor can easily be integrated into your existing esthetic as shown in this handout shot from HomeSense.

When speaking with the two designers — both of whom have wildly different esthetics — one thing becomes very clear: It’s not only acceptable to eschew the decor norm and stay true to your interior design taste during the holidays, it’s highly advisable. “If you live in a very architectural, minimal house, decor with strong lines and restraint will look really sharp and appropriate for your home — think a tall sparse tree with really geometric ornaments and no flourish,” Deck says. “It really does depend on your home.” Deck says rather than picking an overarching theme for your holiday designs, decide on a “scheme.” “Select two or three colours that complement your home decor and connect you with the infectious feeling of the holiday season,” she recommends. “If you like guidelines, decide on rustic or refined. From there, anything really goes.” While a minimalist esthetic is reigning supreme in several areas of our lives — including fashion and home decor — many people may find it difficult to do away with the more-is-more mentality of the holidays. And, luckily, they don’t have to. “Most homes are not minimal or architectural. Here, I think it’s fair to indulge — get a full Christmas tree and fill it with layers and layers of ornaments starting on the inside,” Deck says. “I don’t like a tree to look precious, but I do recommend choosing a general colour scheme of no more than three colours and be sure that the ornaments have contrasting forms such as stars and bobbles. Contrast makes things dynamic and interesting.” To save money on potentially pricey ornaments, Deck recommends splurging on one or two “one-off” ornaments and supplementing with pretty packaged baubles from a mass-market retailer. “There is always a few that look far more expensive than they are,” she says.

Wreaths don’t have to be covered in baubles and glitter in order to make a statement. A simple piece, like this one from HomeSense, is an example of that.

While Deck recommends splurging on select items such as candlestick holders and tree skirts for an added touch of luxe, she says savings can be found in greenery. “Save by using fresh greens for garlands and wreaths — eucalyptus is a particular favourite of mine,” she says as an alternative to pricey pre-made wreaths. “It looks so tasteful and makes a home smell lovely.” Quirky tree ornaments in one or two hues that match your existing esthetic are sure to make your tree pop. “There are some adorable ornaments this year — little animals with vests and top hats — they remind me of characters from children’s books; they are very charming,” Deck says. “If you’re using these on your tree I’d combine them with strings of wooden beads and handmade ornaments for a handcrafted look.” After all, holiday decor provides the perfect way to integrate do-it-yourself elements. “For the holidays, it’s the perfect example of being able to know that it’s, and I hate to say it, but it’s disposable decor. You don’t have to love it forever. It’s only up for a certain period of time — so you can make the garland,” Pratt says. “And in my case, you can pull out the toilet paper and dye it all green and turn that into a bunch of holly leaves and have a great time fashioning some papier mâché berries.”

Plaid pillows make a couch or chair feel seasonal, while still working beyond the holiday period. Plaid pillows, $16.97 each at Walmart.

Pratt says the beauty of DIY holiday decor (old toys glued together to form a one-of-a-kind wreath or centrepiece and coating chipped ornaments with glitter were just a few of her other seasonal suggestions) is embracing what you already have in your home. “There’s a lot of beauty in what you’ve already selected to be in your life,” she says. “The idea is not that you need to go out and buy more because it’s better. It’s celebrating what you already have and making it cooler and better. “What you have is already great, you just need to look at it with a new lens.” Perhaps one of the biggest conundrums people face with holiday decor is the one they can do the least about: space. Once you’ve factored in the tree, the presents, the wreathes, the people … (the list goes on), the additional items can pose a problem. “When you are decorating a small space it’s difficult not to make it feel overwhelmed,” Deck says. “Rather than wrapping your whole home in garlands and glitter, think of making vignettes: clusters of beauty that draw the eye in without taking over the entire space.”

For those living in cramped quarters, Deck recommends sticking to no more than three decor elements such as a small tree, a centrepiece and candles on the dining room table or kitchen island and a fresh wreath on the door. “When I lived in my 600-square-foot loft, I would keep things very simple,” she says. “It always felt festive but never overwhelmed.” And, if the very idea of dressing up your living space for the holidays seems like more of a chore than a celebration, Pratt suggests skipping it altogether, at least for this season. “If you’re not feeling it, instead of feeling the pressure or an intimidation, just say, OK, I’m just not going to do it this year,” Pratt says. “Take a year off. It’s not an expectation that you need to own. It’s your life, live it your way.” Aharris@postmedia.comTwitter.com/Aleesha_H

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